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American Morning
James Brown Dies; Defiant Reaction from Iran's President; Best Movies of 2006
Aired December 25, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Death of a legend. James Brown, known as the "Godfather of Soul", dead at the age of 73. The legendary singer, seen here Friday, his last public appearance; his annual toy give away in his hometown of Augusta, Georgia. He died early this morning at an Atlanta hospital. He was 73.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES BROWN, SINGING: Living in America living in America. Station to station, living in America, hey, hey, across the nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: "Living in America" just one of his signature hits, and known as the hardest man working in show business. He pioneered many of the sounds and rhythms of rap, funk, and disco. No official cause of death yet, but Brown had been taken to the hospital suffering from pneumonia. In just a moment, we will take a closer look at James Brown's legendary career.
Christmas morning, "Across America". The kids have probably already been up for hours, anxious to see what Santa left them behind the tree. But the gift giving is just the secular side of one of the holiest Christian holidays.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN (voice over): From the Vatican the pope's message of peace beamed round the world. Benedict XIV, celebrated midnight mass in the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica, issuing an appeal to help the children.
POPE BENEDICT XVI (through translator): The child of Bethlehem directs our gaze toward all children, particularly those suffer and are abused in the world.
M. O'BRIEN: We direct peace for all children who suffer, particularly in our views of the world.
But in Bethlehem, itself, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, hard times temper the celebration. As 5,000 turned out in Manger's Square, 2,000 packed the Church of the Nativity and including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The city, itself, on its knees from sanctions imposed against the Hamas-led government.
In Paris, the Eiffel Tower lit up like a Christmas tree, literally. And in Brazil, the normally festive atmosphere taking on a more reverent tone, as thousands turned out for the traditional holiday carnival.
And perhaps the oddest picture of them all from China, a seven- year-old Christmas tradition in the streets to Chung King (ph), A 100,000 filling the streets carrying inflatable hammers and bats, apparently inspired by the New Year's Eve scene in Times Square.
And in Australia where it is now summer, it has to be Christmas on the beach.
Here in the States, another tradition, last-minute shopping and jamming the aisles at Macy's at New York City well into Christmas Eve night. Los Angeles malls packed to capacity with last minute bargain- hunters, and plain-old procrastinators. Santa pulling overtime.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What would you like for Christmas, honey? What was that honey?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A Barbie.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A Barbie.
M. O'BRIEN: Talk about a world away. Christmas in Kabul, a handful of Christians gathering there to celebrate the birth of Jesus. And in Iraq, Christians braved devastating violence in the streets to celebrate a day of peace.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: And on this Christmas morning, our Ryan Chilcote is embedded with a few of the 140,000 U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq. He is in Yusufiya, inside the Sunni triangle, where peace is rare. He is with members of the Army's 431 Infantry; here's his report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING (voice over): In Iraq's triangle of death, there is no such thing as holidays. The Third Platoon is on the hunt for insurgents.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the most part, it's just another day. And it is too bad, but we know what we are doing. And we know why we do it.
CHILCOTE: Patrolling in the heart of a Sunni stronghold Christmas feels as far away as they are from home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No snow, no winter wonderland, nothing like that.
CHILCOTE: In the four months they have been in Iraq, the platoon has seen five roadside bombs going off, and shot at 10 times. Today is their first day policing this neighborhood, and the only contact they are making is with kids. They have learned to take pleasure in the small things.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not as bad as where we're coming from, it's a little better. So kind of nice, right? A Christmas gift right here to come to a better place.
CHILCOTE: And the standard Christmas wish?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully get more than four hours' sleep. That will be a good Christmas present to me.
CHILCOTE: Night falls Christmas Eve, but the mortar team is keeping everyone up. In the platoon's tent the light comes and goes, but it becomes apparent that there is something different about today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of my packages actually got blown up.
CHILCOTE: Each one of these men has a story to tell of sacrifice. Lieutenant was shot by a sniper, but has been hiding it from his family so they wouldn't worry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (reading a note): Yes, you are my hero.
CHILCOTE: This sergeant got called back into the service for his third tour since 9/11 two weeks after he got married, and they are on the receiving end of presents and letters from strangers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes, we feel, I think, that a lot of people forget about us over here, whatever. But you get stuff like this and it helps out a lot.
CHILCOTE: For the lieutenant, it is a gift from his 13-year-old cousin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When it's a holiday and something happens to make you realize it's a holiday, like getting a present from your little cousin, it means a lot. Getting it in the mail, and whether it is late or not, you know, it is Christmas.
CHILCOTE: Alina, the intermittent electricity is just one of the problems that the troops have to deal with here. The conditions at this base are very Spartan. They will have a turkey dinner, though. And back in Baghdad, in one of the more comfortable bases, Kid Rock will be performing for the troops, Alina.
CHO: That will be a nice treat for them. All right, CNN's Ryan Chilcote live in Yusufiya, Iraq, for us this morning.
M. O'BRIEN: A lonely, sad Christmas in Bethlehem today. Violence and division between Israelis and Palestinians, and the sanctions aimed at the Hamas controlled Palestinian government, keeping many away from the place where Jesus was born, 2006 years ago. CNN's Elise Labott is live for us, from Bethlehem -- Elise.
ELISE LABBOTT, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Miles, even so, it is a very special place in Bethlehem, to be here for Christmas. Five thousand pilgrims flocked to Manger's Square last night; 2,000 packed the Church of the Nativity, where they delivered midnight mass.
Of course, it is not as much as in recent years before the Palestinian intifada. The conflict with Israel has really intervened. Pilgrims have to go through checkpoints, and as a result, the little town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, has fallen on hard times.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LABOTT (voice over): This Christmas the Church of the Nativity stands empty and one lone pilgrim prays at the Silver Star, marking the site where Jesus was born. Manger's Square is bare. Most of the souvenir shops are shuttered. For those like Naser Alawy, who remain open, sales are down.
NASER ALAWY, STORE MANAGER: We hope that we'll get many people. Inchanal (ph), we say in Arabic, we hope so. And at the same time, hope the peace will come to this land.
LABOTT: Israel has promised to help pass Christmas pilgrims in through this checkpoint, but the scene is far from welcoming. The famous Hotel Alexander is nearly empty. And the manager Joseph Canawati says that being broke does not encourage the Christmas spirit.
JOSEPH CANAWATI, HOTEL OWNER: The majority of people here in Bethlehem, they're not going to celebrate Christmas, from the heart. It's artificial Christmas this year.
LABOTT: Bethlehem's woes are about Fatah versus Hamas, Christian versus Muslim, says Mayor Victor Bartarseh. In fact, relations between Christians and Muslims are good. Instead, it is about money and separation. Thousands of residents have not been paid in months, due to the international boycott of the Hamas-led government.
MAYOR VICTOR BARTARSEH, BETHLEHEM: Christmas is coming, and I cannot pay the salaries of my employees.
LABOTT: And the little town of Bethlehem has been made smaller by this concrete barrier. The Israelis built it to protect Jerusalem from suicide bombers, but it has also cut off many Bethlehem farmers from their land, and their livelihood.
Forty-one-year-old Claire Anastas, a Christian, has lived in Bethlehem all her life. Now she sees only gray.
CLAIRE ANASTAS, BETHLEHEM RESIDENT: I feel that we are buried alive. We are not animals, we are human beings.
LABOTT: This Christmas, Claire will pray for her four children, who she says have no future growing up in a prison of concrete.
ANASTAS: We try to let our children be happy and do the best as we can do. Even we lost everything. But we have to do some nice things on Christmas time.
LABOTT: The mayor of Bethlehem says that if Israeli occupation ends and peace returns, so will the people.
BARTARSEH: As long as we believe in Jesus, who was born in the city, then we have the hope that it will survive.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LABOTT: Miles, despite the economic difficulties, the conflict with Israel and now in fighting between Palestinians, between Fatah and Hamas, the resilience of the people here in Bethlehem is really amazing. They say this is the city of Christ, the day he was born, and they really need to celebrate the day. The local residents came out here to a service, to pray for themselves, and for a better day in peace with Israelis and Palestinians, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Elise Labott, in Bethlehem, thank you.
Alina.
CHO: Happening this morning, war planes from Ethiopia strike the airport in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. The attack didn't do much damage, but it is escalating tensions in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is backing Somalia's Western backed government against the Islamists, who are trying to take power.
In Europe, a British newspaper is reporting that Islamic militants may be plotting a terrorist attack over the holidays. "The Observer" citing U.S. and French security sources names the Chunnel, connecting England and France, as the target. U.S. and British officials would not comment to CNN. But on Friday, U.S. officials said no evidence to suggest a specific target for attack.
Iraq protesting a U.S. action this morning. American forces are holding two Iranians, who are in Iraq, on the invitation of President Jalal Talabani. The U.S. suspects the Iranians of planning terrorist attacks and arrested them last week. Iraq says that the Iranians are security officials, there to improve security in Iraq.
And a fresh lead in the search in China for missing American climbers Christine Boskoff and Charlie Fowler. A man says he dropped off the Americans near Genie Mountain on November 11th, close to the Tibetan border. He said he was holding their luggage for them, but they never returned. The climbers were due back in the States in early December -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: More now on the death of James Brown, the hardest- working man in show business, at rest this morning, dead at the age of 73. He died at a hospital in Atlanta. CNN's Rusty Dornin is there.
Good morning, Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, from what we understand, James Brown came to Atlanta on Friday for a regularly dental appointment. And it was then that some health problems were discovered but he did not enter Crawford long hospital, here in downtown Atlanta, until sometime on Saturday. When CNN did speak to his agent Super Frank, he had told us that Brown had given away toys on Friday afternoon at his home in Augusta, Georgia, to some underprivileged children. And then on Sunday, Frank told us he was in the hospital. He was not in intensive care, but suffering from a serious bout with pneumonia.
And then about five hours ago, at 1:45 a.m. Eastern Time, James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, died of pneumonia. Now his previous health problems have included a bout with prostate cancer, for which he was successfully treated, in 2004. His other health problems had a lot had to do with self-destructive behavior of alcohol and drug abuse.
Now, he had had some concerts scheduled for Connecticut and New Jersey, which he had canceled this week. But he was planning on that New Year's Eve party; he was planning on to be on Anderson Cooper's show, and do a bout there. Do a show at the B. B. King Theater, in New York, and after that, he was planning on going on tour in Canada.
He was a survivor. And I think that when I heard the news, at 3:15 this morning, Miles, I don't know about you, but the first thing that popped into my head when you have a icon like this, is a song, and for me it was "Papa's Got a Brand New Band." So, James Brown, dead at age of 73.
M. O'BRIEN: For me it's "I Feel Good" and we don't feel so good this morning, hearing this news.
DORNIN: No.
M. O'BRIEN: Rusty Dornin, in Atlanta, thank you.
Chad's Christmas forecast is next. And while many America grandmothers are supporting the troops, one is actually joining them. We will tell you her story when AMERICAN MORNING returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, it is PFC Andre Whitehead. I want to wish everyone at home happy holidays. I miss you guys. My Dad, Chris, Mr. Vene (ph), the Whisbees (ph), the Boughman's (ph), Julie, Jason, all of you guys in Chicago (ph). I'll see you when I get home in like a in a few months. And that's it. I'll see you guys.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: It is now a quarter past the hour and let's get a check of the forecast with Chad Myers at the Weather Center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHO: Thank you. President Bush is spending Christmas Day in Camp David, but not a full week of vacation for him. The president is working very hard with the war Cabinet on the new Iraq strategy, which he plans to unveil after the first of the year. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is live for us at the White House.
Suzanne, good morning. So what are the president's Christmas plans today?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Well, good morning, Alina.
President Bush, as you know, is at the Camp David retreat with his family, of course, the first lady, his parents, his mother-in-law, and twin daughter, Jenna and Barbara.
It was just yesterday the president put in some calls to U.S. troops overseas, mostly in Afghanistan and Iraq. Essentially, to wish them a happy holiday; to tell them how proud he is of their service and to try to boost their morale.
As you know, the president is under tremendous pressure to try to prove that this U.S. mission in Iraq is worth it. The president also had a very important conversation, a discussion, a meeting with his new Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, who just returned from a three-day trip from Baghdad. Gates, essentially, briefing him on what he had heard from the generals and the troops on the ground, and the various options, the risks, the benefits to those various military options.
Alina, one of them, of course, that the White House has been talking about quite seriously considering, is that surge -- a temporary surge -- of tens of thousands of American troops into Baghdad to try to quell the violence, while Iraqis get their political house in order. But senior administration officials acknowledge here, this really depends upon the Iraqis whether or not they can, in concert, actually help the political and economic situation, while the U.S. tries to deal with security concerns -- Alina.
CHO: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux at the White House doing Christmas duty for us. Suzanne, thank you.
MALVEAUX: Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: From Iraq this morning, another budding rift between the Bush White House and the government of Iraq. "The New York Times" reporting U.S. forces are detaining four Iranian military leaders, who were invited to the country by Iraq's president Jalal Talabani. CNN's Barbara Starr live in Washington with more.
Good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Well, good morning to you, Miles. Well, all of this comes at a very delicate time
The Iraqi government has been reaching out to Iran, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, as you said, was in Tehran recently. All part of an effort to get Iran to stop its influence inside Iraq with those Shia militias. You know, recently the U.S. military publicly accused Iran's paramilitary al Cutz (ph) force of financing those Shia militias inside of Iraq. And top U.S. military officials say Iran is providing training weapons and financing, especially for Muqtada al Sadr's Mahdi militia. So, all of this, this recent news now would be another link between Shia efforts in Iraq and Tehran. And it comes at a time U.S., of course, is considering that surge in forces inside Iraq. But they want demonstrated evidence that the Iraqi government can also make an effort at providing security. And this Iranian influence is making that very tough, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Barbara, what is the latest inside the Pentagon, about that possible surge?
STARR: Well, as Suzanne Malveaux said, military and Pentagon officials say all the options are on the table. In Baghdad, last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was presented with an entire range of options.
But there are challenges to approving any surge in forces. First and foremost, as we have been discussing the U.S. wants to see Iraq make an iron-clad commitment to sending its troops for any surge, to political and economic progress, and that has been a very consistent problem, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Barbara Starr in Washington. Thank you very much.
Alina.
CHO: One California grandmother is doing her part to support the troops, she is joining them in Afghanistan. We will have her story next.
Don't say that "Wii" didn't warn you. The controllers of the hot new gaming system can get out of control pretty quickly. We'll explain when AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, I'm Specialist Sweeney and I want to give a shout out to my family in back in Terci (ph) and my family in Fayetteville. And, Josh, I love you, and miss you, and happy holidays. I will see you guys soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: U.S. troops in Afghanistan are getting a visit from grandma, a 59-year-old grandmother from California, a nurse in the Air Force Reserve, is about to ship out. Wayne Freedman from our San Francisco affiliate, KGO, has her story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WAYNE FREEDMAN, REPORTER, KGO TV : For a nurse, this qualifies as one of the minor procedures, maintenance on a reluctant family dog.
(On camera): Is that enough trauma for today?
MAJOR JO DANNER, U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE: For the dog, yes.
FREEDMAN: But before long, Major Jo Danner, of the Air Force Reserves, is likely to see much worse in a war zone on the other side of the world, Afghanistan. It will be quite the adventure for a 59- year-old woman, with 11 grand kids.
DANNER: Grandmothers and grandfathers have already served. I am not the first to go, it's just -- somebody happened to notice.
FREEDMAN: Major Danner joined the Reserves 13 years ago, when in her late 40s. She has already been called up once serving in Washington, but Afghanistan will be different, spending four months in a hospital treating both military and civilians.
DANNER: Whoever needs help, ladies having babies, kids with broken legs, people who step on landmines, whatever they need.
Oh, that was really close.
FREEDMAN: The Air Force could not find a better role model if they pulled someone out of a recruiting poster.
DANNER: It's an honor and a privilege.
FREEDMAN: One of her sons served as a paramedic in Iraq. Her father, in the Coast Guard. According to sister, Vicky, this stuff runs in the family.
(on camera): Do you think she will be OK over there?
VICKY STOVER, SISTER IS HEADED TO AFGHANISTAN: Yep. I have to think that, she will be fine.
FREEDMAN (voice over): But she is certainly planning ahead, right down to all the birthday cards she has filled, in advance, for the friends and family. The Major could have left those here, but --
DONNER: It is not the same as a card that comes from your grandma, in the mail, with a stamp on it.
FREEDMAN: She leaves for Afghanistan, shortly after Christmas, hopes to return before she turns 60.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Oh, man, that was Wayne Freedman from KGO, our affiliate.
M. O'BRIEN: But she had better paint the fence first.
CHO: That's right. She needs to get it over.
M. O'BRIEN: Before I go.
CHO: She is tough, boy. M. O'BRIEN: I should say.
They were big, but were they bad? Bradley Jacobs says no, looking at the biggest and best videos you added to your DVD collection in 2006. That's ahead.
And a real heartbreaker on this Christmas morning, the Godfather of Soul is dead. Remembering James Brown when we return.
BROWN (SINGING): Let's celebrate with a chime.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Breaking news, and legendary singer James Brown is dead, the Godfather of Soul passing away earlier morning in Atlanta.
CHO: A warning about Wii. Tips to keep you and your living room before your kids unwrap Nintendo's how new video game.
M. O'BRIEN: And putting those holiday gift cards to good use. How to get the biggest bang for your buck on this Christmas edition of AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning to you and Merry Christmas. Monday, December 25. I'm Miles O'Brien.
CHO: Merry Christmas, Miles. Good morning, everyone. I'm Alina Cho in for Soledad. Thanks for joining us.
M. O'BRIEN: We begin with the passing of an entertainment giant, James Brown is dead. He influenced music for six decades, earning the nickname "The Godfather of Soul", with songs like "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "I Feel Good," and "It's a Man's World." And his high energy performances earned him another nickname, the hardest working man in show business. Born in the depression he lived a hard life, often running into trouble with the law. He was admitted into the hospital this weekend and treated for pneumonia. James Brown died early this morning, he was 73 years old.
CHO: Other news this morning, a defiant reaction from Iran's president after the U.N. Security Council voted for sanctions to stop Tehran's nuclear program. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is warning the west that sanctions won't harm his country and won't keep them from trying to enrich uranium. CNN's Aneesh Raman is in Tehran.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alina, good morning. The U.N. hope was that these sanctions would stop Iran's nuclear program, instead, Iran is only speeding it up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAMAN (voice-over): Despite U.N. sanctions in Iran, the defiance continues in the rhetoric is rising. In his first reaction hard line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the U.N. would soon regret its decision saying quote, "I am sorry for you who lost the opportunity for friendship with the nation of Iran. You yourself know that you cannot harm this nation." And from the foreign ministry, a charge the sanctions were illegal.
MOHAMMAD-ALI HOSSEINI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Because we don't believe that this resolution has undergone the right legal path, we're not bound to implement it. And we will continue our peaceful nuclear activities.
RAMAN: But perhaps the most significant development came from parliament, which is now debating whether Iran should suspend its relationship with the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, that means Iran could kick out inspectors that are here and pursue its nuclear ambitions in secret, a decision that would significantly ratchet up tensions amid fears Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, something the Islamic Republic consistently denies. So why haven't the sanctions worked so far? In part, because they cut off technical aid for Iran's nuclear program, aid Iran might not need as it moves closer to nuclear self-sufficiency. And Iranians at every level believe the need to create nuclear energy outweighs the impact of these sanctions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since the Islamic revolution says Hassan we have always been sanctioned. Such sanctions have never had an impact on our day-to-day living.
RAMAN: Next year will prove make or break, either the U.N. will figure out a way to stop Iran's program, or the world may have to simply accept a nuclear Iran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RAMAN: There is one thing Tehran surely took note of, the unanimous vote that backed these sanctions, a sign the international community is increasingly unified against Iran's defiance. Alina?
CHO: CNN's Aneesh Raman in Tehran for us this morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
M. O'BRIEN: Let's take a look at Christmas around the world. At the Vatican, the Pope urged an end to all wars. He repeated that urge in several languages to a crowd of thousands at St. Peter's Square, it was of course broadcast all around the world. He also called on followers to overcome prejudices and the contrasts that divide them.
CHO: In Bethlehem, hundreds of worshippers at midnight mass near the traditional birthplace of Jesus. Most of the crowd which included Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, consisted of locals and Christian Arabs from Israel. The foreign tourist business understandably has been hit hard by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
M. O'BRIEN: In Baghdad, American troops celebrate with a traditional Christmas dinner, trying best they can to bring home a little bit of feeling of home in the battle zone. Tonight the troops will be treated to a Kid Rock concert. That will make you feel like home. CHO: That's right. A white Christmas in Afghanistan. U.S. troops get into the holiday spirit as the bloodiest year since the fall of the Taliban five years ago draws to a close. Coalition troops held services and had special Christmas meals before they went back to hunting what's left of the Taliban.
M. O'BRIEN: Down under, a white Christmas as in white sandy beaches. Aussies spending Christmas day in the sun and the surf, this is Sydney, they didn't forget their Santa hats of course, although Santa would never dress so scantily, we would hope. And of course, they brought trees down to plant in the sand as well.
CHO: That's pretty nice there, all right. Lots of people on vacation this week, not us, but others are. If you're looking to pass the time with a movie, we have the new list of the hottest DVDs of 2006. And it's one of the hottest gifts under the Christmas trees this morning, but before your kids unwrap that Nintendo Wii, we have some important tips to keep your loved ones and your living room safe. Stay with us, you're watching AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, I'm Capt. David Dish from Boise, Idaho stationed here at (INAUDIBLE) Afghanistan. I'd like to send holiday greetings to my wife Joanne and all of my friends there in Boise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Welcome back on this Christmas day. Happening this morning, war planes from Ethiopia strike the airport in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. The attack did not do much damage, but is escalating tensions in the horn of Africa. Ethiopia is backing Somalia's western-backed government against the Islamists who are trying to take power.
In Europe a British newspaper is reporting that Islamic militants may be plotting a terrorist attack over the holidays. "The Observer" citing U.S. and French security forces names the Chunnel connecting England and France as the target. U.S. and British officials would not comment to CNN, but on Friday U.S. officials said there was no evidence to suggest a specific target for attack.
Iraq protesting a U.S. action this morning, American forces are holding at least two Iranians who are in Iraq on the invitation of President Jalal Talabani. The U.S. suspects the Iranians of planting terrorist attacks and arrested them last week. Iraq says they the Iranians are security officials there to help improve the security situation in Iraq.
And a fresh lead in the search in China for missing climbers Christine Boskoff and Charlie Fowler. A man says he dropped off the Americans near Genie Mountain on November 11th, close to the Tibetan border. He said he was holding their luggage for them, but they never returned. The climbers were due back in the states in early December. Miles?
M. O'BRIEN: Well if you have a Wii under the tree, one of the first things you might want to do is go to the web and get the scoop on a big recall. The Wii controller wrist strap is not game-tested tough as it turns out, as we first discovered a few weeks ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: I can't do the safety strap, that's a problem right there. Veteran gamers James Ransom Riley and Chris Grant strapped me in for a Wii bit of fun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what do you want to start with, tennis?
M. O'BRIEN: Tennis.
The Wii controller is more like a magic wand, wave it and your on screen avatar mimics your motion. The problem is, it's easy to get caught up in the action. Look what happens when we start boxing.
Am I hitting you or are you hitting me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he's hitting you.
M. O'BRIEN: The same thing happened to James' mom and this controller bears the scar.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then my little cousin kind of bounced forward as my mom stepped forward and, just crack, you know. The battery cover flips off and the batteries go flying.
M. O'BRIEN: In fact, Wii users are bombarded with a series of warnings to be careful. This one reminds players to tightly secure the wrist straps.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One thing Nintendo underestimated was how much people were going to enjoy moving their arms, getting off the couch and really swinging their arms. And they may be doing it a little too much, a little too hard, and you know, the engineering isn't holding up.
M. O'BRIEN: Which is to say the straps are breaking and the controllers are flying through windows, into ceiling fans, stereos, laptops, and even some expensive flat screen TVs. The gory details documented on the Web site Wii have a problem.com. Chris and James say the real trick is to tone down the body language, you see the controllers are more sensitive than you think. Is this less fun?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think, yeah. The game doesn't have a lot of strategy in it. It's really about getting up and swinging your arms and stuff.
M. O'BRIEN: Besides, the experts disagree. We caught up with chiropractor Karen Erickson at the Toys "R" Us store in Times Square.
KAREN ERICKSON, CHIROPRACTOR: This is my advice, the game is intended to do standing up. Stand up and play the game standing up. Try to use your whole body when you do it rather than just your wrist.
M. O'BRIEN: She says the Wii is a winner because it will uproot some couch potatoes and get them moving. Just take it easy, take frequent breaks and stretch between rounds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, man. You took me down.
M. O'BRIEN: A knockout!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: It's almost like exercise. This is the Web site you need to go to if you have a Wii, Nintendo.com. There's a whole warning thing there and instructions on how to get a beefier strap. In the meantime, one law firm has already filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo claiming the defective Wii strap is a violation of the consumer protection act. I guess there are a few grinches there.
CHO: But after you broke this story about the strap problem --
M. O'BRIEN: That's not all that broke, if you know what I mean.
CHO: But they fixed it, right? I mean they --
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, they've done the right thing and the straps will be replaced. It's just a little flaw, it had this teeny little thread of a strap and that was -- I don't think they realized how much fun people would have with it. It's a fun controller.
CHO: Exercise you say.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, exercise, working up a sweat with the Wii.
CHO: OK, sure Miles.
(WEATHER REPORT)
M. O'BRIEN: Here's some of what's coming up. If you missed a movie at the theater, or just want to see one again, I'll tell you about the top DVDs of 2006. You're probably thinking about movies today I bet. And relieved you got a gift card instead of the reindeer sweater or yet another fruit cake? We have some things you'll want to know before taking that card to the mall. Stay with us.
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SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Are you looking for a few good movies? Maybe something that had rave reviews but you missed it the first time around. "US Weekly's" film editor Bradley Jacobs joins us to talk about some of the best DVDs of 2006. Nice to see you.
Let's talk about a DVD I got the other day, which is "Pirates of the Caribbean, Part Two". I guess everybody else did too, because it sold like hotcakes. BRADLEY JACOBS, FILM EDITOR, US WEEKLY: Yes, this was both the biggest movie of the year, it made over $400 million and the biggest DVD of the year in its first week on sale, it sold over 10 million copies which was a world record and of course revisits Johnny Depp as the flamboyant Captain Jack Sparrow. Has a great supporting term from Bill Nighy as the mysterious Davy Jones and undead pirate, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom in there. All of them will be back in the third Pirates movie next summer.
S. O'BRIEN: Because it's a cash cow.
JACOBS: It's an incredible cash cow for Disney. But you know, kids love it, it's amazing for families. It sort of seems like the thing that you have to own these days.
S. O'BRIEN: You know what every parent should own is "High School Musical." That is such a great, you know, and I'm not being paid by Disney for this infomercial, but boy, that is such a great DVD to have. My kids love it, we watch it again and again and again.
JACOBS: It's also a terrific story. You know it started off as just a little a movie of the week.
S. O'BRIEN: It's so sweet.
JACOBS: So sweet and started off as a great little movie that debuted on the Disney channel last January, to record numbers. Did incredibly well with the 'tweens. It's a Grease like story of a basketball jock that tries out for the high school musical opposite the brainiac girl from a completely different clique. But they defy the odds and fall for each other and of course, the soundtrack itself --
S. O'BRIEN: No kissing, no bad words.
JACOBS: No kissing.
S. O'BRIEN: No inappropriate behavior, it's very sweet, the soundtrack's good.
JACOBS: Do you own the soundtrack, because three million people bought the soundtrack.
S. O'BRIEN: Why yes I do, of course I own it. I have everything they ever made for High School Musical.
JACOBS: And I also here that already have a sequel in production, so it will be High School Musical Two.
S. O'BRIEN: And "Little Miss Sunshine", that's another movie got terrific reviews, quirky, interesting, everybody loved it and I never got a chance to see it. And a lot of other people kind of didn't get to it.
JACOBS: This is the Indy movie story of the year. It began at Sundance of course, Toni Colette and Greg Kinnear played the heads of a dysfunctional family that take a road trip across the country to put their slightly homely daughter in a beauty daughter called "Little Miss Sunshine." It also has amazing comic support performances from Alan Arkin as the drug addled grandfather and Steve Correl as the suicidal gay uncle. It's just an amazing, somewhat dark story, but really one to see, because I think that here is a good chance it's going to get a best picture nomination this year.
S. O'BRIEN: When it comes to TV shows, everybody is crazy about "Grey's Anatomy" but if you missed some, you can actually get it now on DVD.
JACOBS: You can get it now. This was the drama that defined television for the last couple of years. It started off as a mid- season replacement. Did you even remember that? But it has launched so many careers that we obsess about at "US Weekly" now. Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, T.R. Knight, and of course re-launched the career of Patrick Dempsey who plays neurosurgeon nicknamed Dr. McDreamy. This is a good --
S. O'BRIEN: That's all I'll say. That in and of itself is worth getting the DVD for. Bradley Jacobs, as always thanks Bradley.
JACOBS: Thank you Soledad.
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CHO: Lots of Christmas stockings hung by the chimney with care holding gift cards this morning. But before you plot out your next shopping spree, Ali Velshi has some important gift card tips, you won't want to miss. They're ahead on this Christmas edition of AMERICAN MORNING.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello I'm Sergeant Jennifer Tambell currently stationed in Afghanistan with the Air Force. Just saying to my husband Chris back in Vegas. I miss you. I hope you have a great holidays and I promise we'll get to spend one together one day.
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CHO: If you received the gift of a gift card for Christmas, make sure you use it. Ali Velshi "Minding your Business." So the day after Christmas used to be for returns, now there's a lot of buying.
ALI VELSHI: Yeah, in fact it's really changed the philosophy and anybody who is going shopping tomorrow, keep this in mind, when you go to the stores. It used to be the day after Christmas to kind of -- stuff was all over the place, there were sales to get rid of everything else and there were returns, they brought on extra staff. You'll still see returns, you'll still see more sales, but what you'll see is what they call new floor sets, new displays of new merchandise, because of the number of people who get gift cards. Why do they get gift cards, because folks are lazy. I know that some of you get gift cards for really good reasons and they're really nice, but it takes the thought out of it, it's a great last-minute gift.
CHO: Well some people like to receive them, too, you know.
VELSHI: That's true. Why are you choosing that silly snowman sweater for me, just give me the gift card. And they're very nicely presented. You know you can often get them, many times when I have worked the day before Christmas, Christmas Eve at shopping malls, you will see a lot of people getting those gift cards because sometimes they come in boxes or nice envelopes. Some of them still have silly rules on them. Most of them don't, most of the major retailers don't take off money if you don't use them, they don't have sort of service fees that etch away at them and they don't have expiring dates. But check, because people forget them. I should tell you, most gift cards are used within the first month. Most gift cards for the holiday season will be used by the end of January.
CHO: So January is a big month for retailers, right?
VELSHI: And some people put it away, put it in a cupboard or something or a drawer.
CHO: So it used to be that the rule of thumb generally was one year, but that's not the window?
VELSHI: Yeah, a lot of places have changed.
CHO: It changed.
VELSHI: Because people said, I'm not going to buy it if I don't know the rules. I'm going to give it to somebody, they may not know the rules. So there are ways to track what's on it, there are ways to track all of this information. If you're the recipient of a gift card, just check, just take a few minutes to look at it and say what do I have to think about in order to get my value. Because I think it's entirely, entirely unfair that companies will take off a little bit for every month that you don't use it or they expire, it's a gift certificate.
CHO: Yeah, it seems unfair to pay a penalty for a gift.
VELSHI: But you don't want to get caught for it. Now if you do get caught for it in a year or something, come and tell me, because I would love to go and speak to everybody who still has these old- fashioned rules. Twenty-five billion dollars in gift cards this year, some people are predicting. So it's big business and the thing is people will start to choose to go to the places that are the most fair about gift cards.
CHO: Sure, of course, that makes sense.
VELSHI: So if I know that x-retailers has rules and this one doesn't, I'll just buy my stuff from them.
CHO: And the stores are restocking as a result of it.
VELSHI: Completely. And that's the other thing, people were running out of gift cards at certain points, because it's so popular. The online shopping for the holiday season and the gift cards, such a big thing this year.
CHO: All right, Ali Velshi, "Minding your Business". Ali thank you.
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